Music educator, Nathan Holaway, has been an active teacher for the past 23 years and a professional freelance jazz musician for the last 27 years. Holaway lives in Lakewood, Ohio where he maintains a private music studio.

 

Holaway currently holds three music degrees in total. Two degrees in music from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL (B.A. in Music, M.M. in Jazz and Arranging) and one from the University of South Carolina (Masters of Arts in Teaching - Music Education). Holaway’s collegiate career began at Jacksonville (AL) State University where he studied jazz and improvisation with Dr. Chris Culver. At the University of Alabama, Holaway furthered his jazz studies with Tom Wolfe and Dr. Jonathan Noffsinger. During his time in Tuscaloosa, Holaway has been involved with (teaching and leading) several jazz-influenced groups: The Jazz Aficionados, The Mood Swings, Meta-Four, The Zero Quartet, The Earth Art Ensemble, Electric Mayhem Fusion Band, Sensei Groove, The Zornography Project: The Music of John Zorn, The Soul Pocket Organ Trio, The Voodoo Saints, and Rick Henson’s Soul Tide. Holaway has had the honor of working with and participating in clinics with many amazing jazz legends, including Ornette Coleman, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Bud Shank, John Zorn, Frank Morgan, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Giacomo Gates, Gene Bertoncini, Marcus Roberts, Marcus Printup, Chuck Redd, Branford Marsalis, Joey DeFrancesco, Eldar, Kirk Whalum, and Roger Pemberton.

 

In addition to playing the saxophone, Holaway also plays the flute, clarinet, trumpet and piano. Holaway is an avid jazz-history lover and has written for jazz publications such as All About Jazz (http://www.allaboutjazz.com) and Jazz Review (http://www.jazzreview.com).

 

While Holaway was recently attaining his Masters of Arts in Teaching in Music Education (Emphasis: Instrumental Music, Band, K-12) at the University of South Carolina, he had the priviledge of working for the USC Jazz Department under Bert Ligon and Bryson Borgstedt where he instructed the undergraduate jazz combos (with performances at the 2015 JEN Conference) and performed with the Left Bank Big Band.

 

Besides jazz, Holaway has a deep affinity for coffee, fedoras, and old movies. When he’s not working, Holaway enjoys spending time with his lovely and talented wife Katie and their cat, Nica.